(539) 赤心報國 Serve the country with heart

赤心報國

2021.03.16 Matsuyama Castle 1F

  赤心報國 is  pronounced 'sekishin houkoku' in Japanese, but this phrase is Chinese, Chìxīn bàoguó . Google translator translates this into English and Japanese as follows.

Serve the country with heart
心を込めて国に奉仕する

  The writing "Sekishin houkoku", is by the 13th and 14th Matsuyama feudal lords, and expressed their penitence. They were confined to Joshin-ji Temple. They did the bloodless surrender of Matsuyama castle to the lord of Tosa fief in 1868.

松平勝成　Matsudaira Katsushige, from Wikipedia (1832～1912)

What happened to the lord of Matsuyama fief, Sadaaki?

松平定昭　Matsudaira Sadaaki (1845～1872) from http://cul-spo.or.jp/matsu_bunkyo/contents/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/41.pdf　
連載＜まつやま　人・彩時記＞⑲
　慶応4年1月、将軍慶喜を擁した会津、桑名の両親藩兵が将軍の入京を阻（はば）む薩摩、長州の両藩兵と鳥羽伏見で交戦したが、このとき会津、桑名の親藩から疎外されていた松山藩は、前線には加わらず専（もっぱ）ら後方整備にあたっていたから薩摩、長州＝官軍に対して直接敵対行動をとったわけではなかった。
　しかし、会津、桑名など親幕府派諸藩とともに朝敵とみなされ、追討されることになった。松山藩に対しては、四国鎮撫官軍の先鋒として土佐藩兵がやってきた。これに対して勝成、定昭はじめ藩士一同恭順の意を表したので官軍による松山開城は、平穏のうちに行われた。

  In 1867, Matsudaira Sadaaki became Matsuyama castle lord at twenty-two, and was assigned as the youngest councilor serving to the shogun. He submitted his resignation to shogun immediately, but it was not accepted. But one month later, the shogun returned power to the emperor. Then his resignation was finally accepted. The next year, in 1868, the former shogun asked for his support in the battle of Toba-Fushimi, but the imperial side prevailed. Sadaaki was involved in the battle of Toba-Fushimi. This battle opened the Boshin war between former shogun Yoshinobu's side and the imperial side. Sadaaki was regarded as an enemy who rebelled against the imperial court for following former shogun Yoshinobu in the battle of Toba-Fushimi. The imperial court ordered the lord of Tosa fief to attack and beat the Matsuyama fief. Sadaaki the lord of Matsuyama expressed his willingness to obey the orders of the imperial court. Sadaaki returned the feudal lord to Katsushige the former feudal lord. Then, Sadaaki and Katsushige were confined to Joshin-ji Temple. They successfully did bloodless surrender. The soldiers of the Tosa domain who entered Matsuyama gentlemanly behaved. So, the surrender of Matsuyama Castle was peaceful.

まんがでわかる日本史より

マンガでわかる 日本史 (池田書店のマンガでわかるシリーズ)

• 出版社/メーカー: 池田書店
• 発売日: 2012/12/21
• メディア: 単行本

In January of 1868 the battle of Toba-Fushimi
In March of 1868 the bloodless surrender of Edo castle
In August of 1868 Aizu castle siege
In May of 1869 Boshin war was ended
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